A Hunter's War
by joshingblock
Summary: The Floran do not hate other races, they just don't care for them, like humans would for a blade of grass. The only question is, can they learn? In the war between Floran and Hylotl there is no record of what happened or why it happened. Was it just another hunt to the Floran? First story ever in my life, give it a look. (oneshot)


**HELLO FELLOW READERS AND WRITERS!**

 **The first fanfiction/story/oneshot that I have ever written, here's hoping it's not shit and that I don't make a fool of myself after spending so much time on this site just reading.**

 _italic= "floran ssssspeech"- 'floran thought'-_ _ **"radio floran"**_

Normal "speech for most"

 **With that out of the way let's get started. Chucklefish are the strange creators of this strange game, starbound and I own NOTHING and gain NOTHING!**

 **0o0o0o0o0**

" _Meh, ssmell funny!"_ complained a floran amongst many other slightly larger Floran that was sitting around a large cargo like area.

" _Sssilence, sssmall one!"_ replied a much larger floran.

Though the young floran was the only one saying it, they all thought the essence of the ship they have "claimed" to have a peculiar stink to it. Too much metal made them feel uneasy, and enraged that their Greenfinger lost the challenge of " _who can hunt the most Nutmidgelings_ " but there was nothing they could do about it. The reason for this challenge was to chose what ships would go to each Greenfinger from best to worst.

Worst Being the one that looked the nicest to the Floran's big circular black eyes. That being, these floran ended up with the slickest ship that they have ever seen instead of one of the ones that looked like it was dragged through a forest and came out with whatever stuck. The Greenfinger of this small carrier knew that this vessel was the best of them all, knowing that the two legged fish were far more tech savvy than all the floran combined. Greenfingers are known for signifying more intelligent than their whole tribe, that's why this one questioned the other tribes from other planets for a " _grand hunt."_

' _They come to use us, maybe use us as food? No no, then why give ship to Floran, make no sense.'_ the Greenfinger pondered.

It's eyes looking out from front of the navigation console into the star filled empty space, or it would have been empty if it were not for the forty odd ships that filled it.

' _No hunt need many floran, floran strong, and Greenfinger smarter'_ the thin floran argued with themselves.

A periodic beeping sound came from the console with a flickering blue light, the floran begrudgingly pressed the button and what they heard made them want to stab the noise that came from the console.

" _ **Otic, floran sssoon meet planet of great hunt, copy shapesss to get there. Rule of hunt to follow will be followed!"**_ ordered a booming voice that was slightly buzzing before abruptly ending.

The now named Otic looked at the screen of the navigation controls and saw two row of numbers indicating X and Y coordinates and a list of what they presumed to be the rules.

" _Ha, ssstupid don't know what numbers are and didn't they call it grand hunt!? hehe ssstupid."_ exclaimed Otic as he almost fell from his set from the outburst. _'Not smart, who real set up of hunt'_ they wondered _._

After composing themselves they input the coordinates given. As they did they noticed that the other ships started to disappear signaling that this was their time to go as well and press the big red button that said 'go'.

* * *

The little floran wanted to gaze at the stars but noticed that instead of stars it was long streams of light. This confused the floran and was going to inform the others when they heard a split door open. Greenfinger Otic walked into the room and found their way to the stand, which was just a stack of small metal boxes, and got the others attention by kneeling down and dragging their wood like claws across the metal crate, seizing the attention of all the floran.

Looking into the crowd of their plantlike tribe, Otic felt that it has been too long since they have looked and spoken to them in a long time. Most of the floran are green "skinned" but some had different colors, like a small group of pink floran, though very visible during a hunt they seem to like the chase using barbed knifes, and a few scattered blue "skins", that really enjoyed to hunt or hid in the water using guns that fling large needle rounds but only a few of them had distinguished features. Their "skin" was not skin at all but a kind of soft shell of an exoskeleton likeness and vain like vines that covered the shell, with leaves that could cover most of their body and also simulate their hair, some even have flowers of many kinds on their heads. Some other bits that separate them from other species are wood like claws that could slash open the shell of a Bobot, feet like other bipedal creatures but only four small claw like toes, and a jaw that can open wider than a snakes with two rows of thorn like teeth.

Otic didn't have any know leaves, for his head was as smooth as the ship's metal itself and wore what would be considered clothes of a human.

Though floran don't see any real use in thin cloth, they do use utilities like belts to hold things and leather armor of the prey that's flesh is to hard to chew. Many floran like to take the leather from the bigger prey that the more experienced and bigger floran take down to make armor. Though rough in design some of their armor could stop a strike from an adult Poptop with nothing but a scratch, a fiery breath of fire from a Fennix that only scorched the coat, or a blast of electricity from a Voltip barely leaving a mark.

" _Floran lisssten to Greenfinger, rules from other Greenfingersss..."_

Otic was interrupted by the sounds of many annoyed hissing sounds.

" _Quiet, floran will follow rulesss for grand hunt!"_ Otic stated with a stern look on their face.

Otic pulled a small pad from one of the hooks on their belt and did the equivalent of a human clearing their throat, but sounded more like a growl.

" _No kill other floran at hunt, no hunting of othersss prey, can fight asss..."_ a few snickers were heard from the tribe. _"Asss pairsss, stay on ssship if not want hunt but once entered can't leave hunt. Floran will be at grand hunt soon, follow rulesss or risssk death by Floran."_

Otic put the pad back on their belt and left the way they came, leaving many floran to talk about what they will do when they get there, many, but not all. The large floran that hushed the small floran from before noticed something about the Greenfinger.

" _Greenfinger looked mad, wonder what stole hisss prey."_ they observed as they sat down on one of the many crates.

" _Sssure he just cleared throat."_ explained the smaller floran, as they sat down next to the florian, saying that the Greenfinger was a "he" was not uncommon as most floran go by physical traits of what is male or female but matters little since they are an unisex race.

" _No, the look he gave not the sssound, ssstupid Kiki!"_ growled the floran.

Kiki irritated at how their hunting partner was treating them lately, they may be small but they did not consider themselves stupid.

Kiki and their big friend are an odd pair, but are just as odd alone. Kiki is what you would consider a smaller than should be crimson colored shell floran female with leaves covering all of her head and counseling left eye, only standing at 5 feet tall, while others stand at about 6 feet tall, but while she does look alot like her fellow floran the 7 feet and 11 inches tall Floran looked like what any floran would strive to be. Unlike other floran, this one looked less like a simple plant of small stature and more like a tree.

" _That'sss it!"_ Kiki hissed as she immediately stood up and walked over to a corner where she placed her weapons and picked up her two stone edged daggers with curved handles making it easy to thrust the blade "let's fight, Ton!"

The Floran that stayed in the cargo bay started to form a circle around the two for the hopes of some excitement after the long trip.

The now named Florian Ton stood to his full height a few feet away from Kiki. Where with others you would see leaves, but with Ton it was like plates of armor that screamed that he was the ultimate predator, even his head has a blown back into a spiky "hairdo" that left the back of his head just as sharp as his shoulders, the only real thing that could be considered clothes for him was the cloth that was wrapped around his waist. He was hoping that would scare Kiki into submission but was surprised by how she stood her ground as if looking down upon him even though her head barely reached his chest.

' _Fight she want, fight she get'_ Ton mused while taking a battle stance. _"Fight with handsss"_

' _Fight with fist and claw then? Ton will lose if think armor will stop floran.'_ Kiki concurred with herself as she sheathed her daggers and took a lower fighting stance.

Even in her full leather armor, she is one of the fastest floran to ever live. As she charged at Ton he could tell from her stance as she ran that she was going to jump, so he changed his stance as if to catch her but as she was about to jump she dropped, sliding along the clean metal floor aiding in her slide getting her under and between his legs and using her claws to cut deep at the unarmored slit behind the knee spraying jade colored blood across the metal floors. Ton spun around swinging his left arm in a wide arc behind him, but she dodges just a hair away from a blow to the face causing his momentum to carry him into a full 360 sending him towards the ground. As she took a step back from the falling ton of Ton but instead of falling Ton caught himself and fell to one knee and using the force to send a jab into Kiki's chest, sending her flying backwards into a large create leaving a dent the size of her.

Ton knelt there in a small puddle of his own blood before standing, figuring that his Floran healing was kicking in. To no Floran's surprise Ton was right back on his feet, Kiki was just as fine and both were ready to continue their attacks but then the vessel began to shake violently sending a few Floran to the ground. A crackling sound came from all directions before clearing with a familiar voice coming over it.

" _ **Floran ready for grand hunt go to teleportal and find trophy, and bring greatness to tribe!"**_ bellowed Otic as another vibration shook the vessel, only this time followed by explosions.

* * *

' _How is happen?'_ Otic thought, he couldn't understand how this could have been what his tribe has been dragged into, but it was too late for them to turn back now, as he now noted there was only enough fuel for one jump.'Floran was played.' he now perceived that this was a way to sway Floran into not a grand hunt but a war that no Floran aboard was going to fathom, for they only recognized the hunt. Though he hated to be pushed into such a situation, he needed his tribe to fight like it was a hunt, and that they will.

He gazed out from the navigation console to the ships above the green planet, seeing already some Floran crafts destroyed, though he could not hear the explosions of the many vessels in the death of space, he could see many blast of lights that died as quickly as it came leaving torn ships in their wake. He could see now that the explosions are coming from the planet as some way to destroy the Floran before they could use the teleporters.

He settled that if he was going to fight, he was going to do it to find a new vessel and leave these foolish Floran to their own. With that resolve he grabbed his gear consisting of short blade with jagged edges and two small handmade poison smoke bombs for when running from the enemy was necessary. He started heading to where the other Florian were hoping that the stupid flying bucket could last long enough for him to escape.

* * *

Quiet, for second the only sounds that could be heard were wind in the leaves and the owls that inhabited the forest. Soon beams of light that let the forest began to strike the areas around leaving behind Floran that immediately either disappeared into the cover of the woodlands or howled as they rushed to any direction, joining the hunt.

Kiki and Ton were giving each other deathly stares for what seemed like an eternity but only lasted a second before Kiki spook.

" _Floran not ssstupid, Ton take back word."_ another long second passed.  
 _  
_

" _Kiki not ssstupid, just sssaid something ssstupid."_ Ton informed.

" _Why did you not sssay so?"_

" _Thought you knew."_

" _...Ready for hunt Ton?"_

The hefty Floran's mouth twitched in what most would assume was a grin. _"Alwaysss."_

Ton checked over his two most prized possessions, a spear made of the toughest wood he could find with a sharp piece of durasteel he found and a shield that was just a large piece of tungsten ore that was roughly shaped into a thick kite shield, many Floran used to wondered why he would use a shield for hunting but soon got the answer when he fought a mother poptop that killed at least 30 other Floran. Carrying his spear in his right hand and shield in his left he followed Kiki, the better tracker of the two, into the forest to begin the hunt of a lifetime.

As Kiki led Ton through the forest she spotted a cloud of smoke ahead of her and as much as the Floran hated fire, it did mean that something was living there, or the others have already destroyed some part of the forest already, she believed it was one of the two and started heading in that direction.

* * *

" _Ssstrange."_ Otic whispered to himself. He barely got to the teleporters, and was now where the other Floran were. He could have sworn that they had the teleporter set for the day side of the planet, but that would explain why it was so peaceful. A stirring in the bushes heading in his direction, he decided to avoid any confrontation, he quickly and quietly climbed a tree crouched on a extended branch. What he saw caught him off guard. 'Fish people' he supposed. The first one seemed to be of the male species even though he wear what Otic believed to be a dress, but since the one following him had a bloated chest carrying something wrapped in cloth. The blue skinned, three pure red eyed male was carrying a blade that Otic has seen many times, sometimes too close, Otic was surprised such a thin curved blade did not snap like a twig.

The small group was quick to leave the clearing. From what Otic could fathom they were scared, probably because of the Floran that were no doubt hunting them. _'Not Florian problem'_ he tried to convince himself. He dropped down from his perch and noticed that the group had left a very visible trail that any sapling could follow. Otic groaned, closed his eyes, knelt to the ground and placed his hand on it and commanded the plant life in the area to cover their tracks, including their smell, something only a Greenfinger could do. He did this for less than a minute and soon heard much more quiet movements coming his way. He stood up and waited for them.

A much larger Floran than himself came out into the clearing, and telling from his head piece he is one of the tribes Greenfinger.

" _Where prey, prey came thisss way!"_ boomed a familiar voice.

Though they have never met face to face, Otic could never forget such a loud voice, no matter how much he wanted to. He was quite surprised how quiet this Floran was on his feet even though he seemed to only have one volume level.

Last thing Otic wanted to do was talk to him, afraid that he might recognize his voice and try to talk him down for the sake of his honor. So instead Otic just pointed in an offset direction of where the fish people went. Without a word the tribe leader and two others that were hiding in the trees stalked into the given direction.

' _Easy, now to find ship and leave this fake hunt.'_

* * *

" _Are we there yet?"_ complained Ton.

" _For lassst time Ton, we get there when we get there."_ growled Kiki.

Ton has asked that question for the last 30 minutes as they were heading to the smokestacks, in hope of catching some prey. They were about to clear the forest ahead when they heard what sounded like a pained howl from a Florian. Ton and Kiki rushed out of the clearing into what seemed to be a small town with mostly two story buildings. They could not see anything but what was making that pained sound was coming from the center of the small wooden town.

Kiki motioned Ton to follow her as she climbed one of the structures using her knifes as anchors. Ton put his spear and shield on his back connected to a small cloth wrapped around him to hold his hunting tools, and used his sharp claws to climb the vertical wall. From there, they jumped building to building, getting closer to the center of town. What they saw caused both the Floran to shiver with fear. Burned to a cresp, some with their heads removed, many Floran corpses left around a group of four Hylotl.

One covered head to toe in metal plating wielding a tank on his back, with a tube leading to thin metal pipe with an expanded tip pointed at a crawling Floran. The end of the pipe ignited engulfing the Floran in flames, the pained screaming soon turned to hissing, either from the flames that still licked the Florans body or what air was left in their lungs.

One of the other Hylotl covered in wooden armor wielding a katana put his free hand on the flame wielding one's shoulder, "friend, how are you doing on fuel?" he asked.

" _Ssstrange noisesss, it makesss."_ whispered Ton. Kiki didn't understand what Ton meant, she could understand what they were saying. To Ton though, all he could hear was strange clicking and croaking sounds.

"I've got maybe one spray left before we have to fight these barbarians with our blades, how are the others?" asked the metal one.

Looking back he could see two others dressed the same as the one in wooden plating, and the same weapons.

"Shiori was hit in her upper leg by one of their spears, but she will be fine to move in a little bit of time" looking at Shiori sitting on the ground next to a blue Hylotl wrapping her injured leg in cloth.

"Good, we can't hold off anymore of them, fire seems to be a weakness that we can use, but even if their weapons are primitive, in close combat they seem skilled."

Kiki was conflicted on what to do. These fish on legs seem like something she could hunt and take as a trophy, but at the same time they almost seem Floran like, if it wasn't for the fact that they have flesh.

" _Better find ssstray fish..."_ Kiki was saying until Ton jumped off the roof shield and spear in hand. _"Idiot." sighed Kiki._

Ton hit the floor with a loud thump causing the hylotl to look in his direction.

"That is much bigger than the others" said the blue scaled skin.

"Grab Shiori and get out of here, Masu, you're with me." commanded the metal one.

The Hylotl that bandaged Shiori's leg helped her up and started moving away from the others.

"It's just one, we can take it, Hoitsu." said Masu.

"Never underestimate your enemy, ready yourself." Hoitsu then pointed his weapon at now rushing Ton and pulled the trigger.

The flames surrounded Ton making it hard to see him.

"Glad thats over." exclaimed Masu.

"It's not, look." Hoitsu said.

As the flames died all they saw was a shield with an unscathed Floran. Ton roared, mouth open full of teeth, as he charged the heavily armored hylotl. Hoitsu undid his tank and threw it at Ton only to be batted away with his shield. That gave enough time for Hoitsu to draw his nodachi, which is pretty much a larger katana, and took a defensive stance. Masu was moving to flank the right of Hoitsu when he heard footsteps above him. Looking up he saw a falling figure and dived out of the way, suffering a small cut on his leg.

"The use of such cheap tactics and missing will be the end of you, fiend." Masu said, now too far to help with the large Floran.

Kiki pulled her daggers from the ground where she tried to stab him. _"don't worry, Floran don't missss prey."_ she hissed.

That confused Masu, in all of the fighting the Floran did speak but it was never in response to what he said, he assumed that they were just animals. That explained why they were able to use the vessels that still orbit the other side of this planet.

Kiki dashed, daggers forward at Masu pulling him from his thoughts dodging left of her daggers while also swinging down towards her midsection, only for her to pull back out of her attack causing him to miss. She continued her attack, slashing and stabbing at Masu only for him to dodge, deflect, or block the attacks, but unable to get his own strikes in. Kiki attacked too fast leaving no openings for Masu to retaliate.

* * *

At the same moment, Ton closed the distance and shoved his spear forward, only for Hoitsu to push the attack away from him, and swung his blade down at Ton. Ton raised his shield blocking the strike, Hoitsu pulled the blade back from the shield in a single movement and thrusted it under the shield striking Ton in the chest only for the strike to only scratch the surface of the Florans natural armor. Ton retaliated, bringing his shield down on the blade, planting it into the ground and thrusted his spear once more, piercing the plated armor. Hoitsu quickly stepped back, looking over his wound. He noticed an inch wide cut in his armor, but no blood.

Glancing back up at the Floran taking a defensive stance.

"Ha, you are much smarter than you other kin. This will be an honorable fight, brace yourself!" hollered Hoitsu. 'Strength will not work, speed and tactics will be my ally in this dual.' Hoitsu reflected.

Hoitsu rushed towards Ton swinging his blade with fury, forcing Ton to raise his shield in front of his view. Ton could hear the strikes against his shield but for a split second it stopped only for him to feel a sting in his side. Hoitsu had sidestepped the shield, and sunk his blade in between what he assumed was natural plating, causing a spray of Floran blood as Hoitsu pulled back from a very angry outcry of Floran strikes.

Ton was not thinking straight after having his blood drawn from something other than his partner. Kiki and Ton may not get along all the time but that's how Floran are. Ton would not stand for such an attack getting through to him and went into a blood rage. None of his attacks were making it through to Hoitsu, making Ton even more enraged. Ton threw his weapon and shield and charged at Hoitsu with intention of ripping him apart.

* * *

Masu was not getting through, he was getting tired, and not making any headway in taking this floran down, let alone landing a strike. Kiki on the other hand, has landed multiple strikes against Masu, nothing that would kill him off right, but he was bleeding sapphire colored blood, and that's all she needed. She stepped back after one last cut on his arm.

Masu's vision was blurring, "poison?" he questioned.

" _Yesss, from Pteropod, very toxic."_ answered Kiki.

Masu could only hear half of what Kiki said but it was enough to make him realize that he was doomed from the beginning when she first cut him from her drop. He could barely keep standing, as he took a step towards Kiki, but dropped his blade. At this Kiki rushed Masu and pushed him to the ground. To Masu, it felt like he did fifty back flips before landing hard on the dirt road with what he assumed to be a smiling Floran. He did not want his death to be staring at such a face, so he turned his head, only for a strong arm forcing his gaze back onto the Floran.

She brought the blade down into his chest, all he could feel was a stinging in his very soul. Maybe it was just the poison, but everything slowed as he was drifting away from life with blood filling his lungs, he could've sworn he saw something in the Floran's eyes. It wasn't hate or pleasure, it was something else, sadness, fear, maybe regret. No, it was confusion. Why would such a monstrous creature feel confusion of what she did, maybe it had something to do with how she called him prey. It was too much to think about now, no, instead he thought of one prayer for his friends and family before drifting into ever darkness where no light could shine.

* * *

Hoitsu brought his blade forward, hoping to discourage the aggravated Floran from getting closer, only for the blade to sink into the stomach and out the back of Ton, leaving Hoitsu facing death himself. Ton wrapped one hand around Hoitsu's throat, lifting him into the air, causing Hoitsu to lose his grip on his nodachi, hanging at the mercy of a beast.

Ton threw Hoitsu to the ground as hard as he could, hearing what he assumed to be bones breaking, and from the pained scream the meat encased in metal made he was right, but he was not done. Ton placed his foot on Hoitsu's chest, and grabbed the fish's foot and pulled. All that could be heard was a scream of pain combined with the ripping sound of flesh, and cracking of bones as Hoitsu's leg was removed from his torso. Hoitsu screamed as he tried to stop the bleed from his stump, only for the blood to flow between his fingers.

Ton tossed the bleeding leg to the side, and went back to where he dropped his spear. After picking his spear from the ground, he walked back to his prey trying to crawl away. Placing his foot this time on the back of Hoitsu, Ton shoved his spear into the back of the finned creatures head, as the hands tried to stop him but soon fell limp. Ton pushed until the head came off from the shoulders leaving a one legged, headless corpse. Raising his spear with the head still dripping blood into the air roaring with victory.

Ton was breathing heavily as he looked for his companion hoping that she handle her prey as well as he did. Only what he saw baffled him, as he has never seen a Floran do such a thing during a hunt. Kiki was bent over near her kill removing the contents of her stomach, from her mouth, onto the ground. Ton made his way over to her.

" _Kiki all right?"_ asked Ton.

A few coughs and Kiki stood up, moved her way to a wall and sat down, Ton stayed where he was.

" _Don't know."_ Kiki answered in a small whisper.

" _Maybe poissson?"_

" _Didn't hit me."_

" _Than make no senssse for Kiki to do this."_ he said pointing towards the contents of what was once lunch.

" _Hisss eyes!"_ she said in an outburst of anger.

Ton moved over to the still body and looked into the eyes.

" _Look normal to me."_ stated Ton.

" _That problem, meat should not have ssuch eyesss. He look like when Floran in pain."_

" _They are more like usss that you know"_ said a familiar voice.

" _Greenfinger, you make it out of ship."_ Ton said more than asked.

" _Yes, and we have been tricked, this is not hunt but a war"_ Otic said without a hint of a hiss that most Floran had when speaking.

" _Tricked? Why war? What do you mean by prey like usss?"_ questioned Ton.

" _Other greenfinger trick Floran into coming to fight, Floran not know why war but it not my war, and prey called Hylotl, not prey. They think like us, ssship is Hylotls, not Floran, but Floran going to look for ship and leave, could ussse help."_ with some hissing breaking through, Otic did his best to explain that much of what he knew.

" _Floran will help Greenfinger find ship, Floran think Greenfinger right, He-lo-to like Floran, Floran should not hunt them."_ agreed Kiki.

" _Floran don't understand fish so how they like Floran, Greenfinger wrong!"_ yelled Ton.

" _Greenfinger put transsslator in Floran head to help with speak good. That's why not hiss ssso bad, but also help understand other races better."_ explained Otic.

Ton growled, trying to wrap his head around this.

" _Kiki follow Greenfinger?"_ asked Ton.

Kiki now on her feet, nodded.

" _Floran not understand it well but will follow Kiki out of thisss not hunt, Floran not like being tricked anyway."_ Ton reasoned.

" _Than Floran need to go now or other Floran may not like what Floran doing."_ Otic said.

The other two nodded and grabbed their gear, Ton removing the head from his spear and grabbing his shield, while Kiki grabbed her daggers.

" _Ton?"_ asked Kiki.

" _Yesss, Kiki?"_ answered Ton.

" _Hold ssstill."_ Kiki told Ton.

Ton was confused until Kiki grabbed what appeared to be a handle in his chest and pulled out the blade from earlier with a small spray of blood.

" _Oh, Floran forgot about that."_ confessed Ton, a bit flustered.

" _That's why we partners." stated Kiki._

Otic whistled for Kiki and Ton to follow.

" _Ssso"_ started Kiki _"where Floran find ship?"_

Otic stopped where he was and the only thing that Kiki and Ton picked up was _"shit."_

 **0o0o0o0o0  
**

 **That's all for this oneshot, I hope you enjoyed this little story because I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Leave a review, I CAN TAKE IT!**


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